PODICIPBDIDa: PODICIPBS 509 



the lobe ; fourth toe the longest ; hind toe small and jointed above 

 the level of the others with a small lateral lobe. 



About nineteen species of Grebes form this genus, which is ' 

 spread all over the world; three of these inhabit Africa, while a 

 fourth is confined to Madagascar; the three former are all found 

 within our limits. 



Key of the Species. 



A. Largest, wing over 7'0 ; a bifid occipital crest on 



both sides of the crown and a ruff round the neck 



in the breeding plumage P. cristatus, p. 509. 



B. Size intermediate ; wing about 5-5 ; an occipital 

 crest right across the crown and a bunch of elon- 

 gated hair-like plumes behind the eye in the 



breeding plumage P. nigrioolKs, p. 511. 



C. Size smallest; wing about 4'10; no crest or ruff... P. capensis, p. 513. 



809. Podicipes cristatus. Great Crested Grebe. 



Colymbus cristatus, Linn. Sijst. Nat. 12th ed. i, p. 222 (1766) ; Eeiche- 



now, Vog. Afr. i, p. 16 (1900). 

 Podiceps cristatus, Pehelv, Novara Reise, Vog. p. 140 (1865) ; Layard, 



B. S. Afr. p. 373 (1867) ; Ayres, Ibis, 1869, p. 303 [Transvaal] ; 



Gurney, in Andcrsson's B. Damaral. p. 345 (1872) ; Dresser, B. 



Eur. viii, p. 627, pi. 629 (1879); Sliarpc, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. 



p. 785 (1884) ; Ayres and. Chirney, Ibis, 1885, p. 350 ; Haagner, Ibis, 



1902, p. 581 ; Whitehead, Ibis, 1903, p. 288. 

 Podicipes cristatus, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 174 (1896) ; Grant, Cat. B. M. 



xxvi, p. 544 (1898). 

 Lophffithyia cristata. Gates, Cat. B. Eggs, i, p. 136 (1901) 



Description. Adult Male in breeding dress. — General colour 

 above, including the crown and back of the neck, very dark blackish- 

 brown ; feathers on each side of the crown elongate, forming a long 

 double crest ; wings like the back, except the inner secondaries and 

 the lesser wing-coverts, which are white ; sides of the face, throat, 

 neck and under parts pure silvery-white ; a very full ruff of out- 

 standing feathers round the upper neck, the bases of which are 

 chestnut and the tips black ; sides of the body ashy-black ; axillaries 

 and under wing-coverts white. 



Iris red; bill reddish-horn, lighter at the tip; legs and feet 

 black. 



Length (in flesh) 20-0; wing 7-5; tail 1-0; culmen 1-75; 

 tarsus 2-25. 



